Milwaukee River floods in Mequon, some residents say they're used to it

UPDATED 7:53 PM CDT Apr 12, 2013

MEQUON, Wis. -

The rain has let up, but the flooding is spreading.

The Milwaukee River was spilling into back yards and parks near Donges Bay Road in Mequon, where some residents are already heading for higher ground because of standing water blocking the road.

Friday afternoon, News Chopper 12 captured video of a woman who got stuck in a ditch and had to be towed out.

Police said she mistook some scattered debris in the street on River Road in Mequon for solid ground. When she realized she was in deep water, she tried to turn around and slid into the ditch. She was OK.

On the ground, there are signs posted warning people that the road is flooded, but some have chosen to ignore them.

"I have seen this before -- in 2004 and 2008," Deb McGee said.

McGee lives a couple of blocks from where the woman got stuck. She wouldn't dare try to drive up to it. She has learned from past experiences to take a boat. She was using a canoe to get back and forth to check on her cats.

"It's waders in, brought the canoe out, yeah," McGee said.

She's staying at her mother's house until the water recedes, but she said it's actually not as bad as it looks.

"You know, actually there is no water in the house. There is some in the garage, and those are empty, so the cleanup will be pretty easy. Everything has been moved to the house. The house is up half a level, so yeah, the house is dry," McGee said.

Neighbor Chris Lewandowski doesn't need a boat yet, but the waders are getting a work out.

"We have a crawlspace in the basement, so it's already coming out from the crawlspace, and I don't know how high that water is, but it seems to go like from there, to there, and then from there to there ,and then just totally surround the house," Lewandowski said.

The residents WISN 12 News spoke with said they are used to to the flooding. It's just the price you pay for living by the river.

The Fox River in Waukesha also remains under a flood warning.

The water is more than half a foot above flood stage.

It covers the steps leading down to the river in Frame Park. Yellow caution tape has been put up as an alert.

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